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As a side effect of the disease, people with Huntington's disease (HD) tend to develop teeth problems. This happens for various reasons:
• It can be difficult for a dentist to work on the teeth of someone who cannot sit still, or open their mouth widely.
• Often it is hard for people with HD to get transport to regular dental checkups. Financial problems may also affect their access.
• Impaired motor coordination can affect someone's ability to use a toothbrush or floss.
• People with HD need a high-energy diet. This can mean excessive sugar-rich foods, which cause plaque and tooth decay. Gum disease can result, making teeth loose and sensitive.
In some cases, the teeth will need to be extracted. Unfortunately, dentures aren't always a solution. Facial muscles hold a denture in place. However, in HD, involuntary muscular movements can eject the denture from the mouth.
Where possible, dentures should be designed for extra retention. However, often they're simply not suitable. In cases where a person has no teeth or dentures in place, it affects the appearance, and can cause self-consciousness and embarrassment.
Diet
It is difficult to avoid sugar-containing foods. However, people with HD can protect their teeth by favouring foods with protective and tooth-strengthening properties, like dairy products, wholemeal and unrefined food.
Try not to eat anything just before bed: saliva, which clears food from the teeth, is reduced during sleep.
Dental hygiene
Gum disease can be prevented by regular brushing and flossing, which keeps plaque at bay. Initially, it will be possible for people to floss and brush by themselves, but as muscle control deteriorates, carers or family members may have to take over this task.
• Use a good-quality electric toothbrush.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste to protect the teeth – special high-fluoride toothpaste may be advisable, or fluoride mouthwash.
• Your dentist can apply an even stronger fluoride solution, or a long-lasting fluoride coating.
• A dentist can periodically clean the teeth by descaling.
• If a tooth cavity must be filled, specific filling materials can be chosen to increase the tooth's resistance to decay.
• In consultation with specialist doctors, the dentist may choose to anaesthetise the patient for dental procedures.
Carers need to be aware of the impact of poor dental health. If a person with HD can't manage or request dental care for themselves, it is the carer's responsibility to do so.
Even before symptoms appear, dentist visits in at-risk families should be frequent, and oral hygiene particularly thorough, so that if and when symptoms do develop, the teeth will be in the best condition.
- Sources: The importance of Dental Care in HD: Huntington's Western Australia (huntingtonswa.org.au); The Importance of Dental Care in HD: Huntington’s Disease Association factsheet, 2012 (hda.org.uk)
• It can be difficult for a dentist to work on the teeth of someone who cannot sit still, or open their mouth widely.
• Often it is hard for people with HD to get transport to regular dental checkups. Financial problems may also affect their access.
• Impaired motor coordination can affect someone's ability to use a toothbrush or floss.
• People with HD need a high-energy diet. This can mean excessive sugar-rich foods, which cause plaque and tooth decay. Gum disease can result, making teeth loose and sensitive.
In some cases, the teeth will need to be extracted. Unfortunately, dentures aren't always a solution. Facial muscles hold a denture in place. However, in HD, involuntary muscular movements can eject the denture from the mouth.
Where possible, dentures should be designed for extra retention. However, often they're simply not suitable. In cases where a person has no teeth or dentures in place, it affects the appearance, and can cause self-consciousness and embarrassment.
Diet
It is difficult to avoid sugar-containing foods. However, people with HD can protect their teeth by favouring foods with protective and tooth-strengthening properties, like dairy products, wholemeal and unrefined food.
Try not to eat anything just before bed: saliva, which clears food from the teeth, is reduced during sleep.
Dental hygiene
Gum disease can be prevented by regular brushing and flossing, which keeps plaque at bay. Initially, it will be possible for people to floss and brush by themselves, but as muscle control deteriorates, carers or family members may have to take over this task.
• Use a good-quality electric toothbrush.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste to protect the teeth – special high-fluoride toothpaste may be advisable, or fluoride mouthwash.
• Your dentist can apply an even stronger fluoride solution, or a long-lasting fluoride coating.
• A dentist can periodically clean the teeth by descaling.
• If a tooth cavity must be filled, specific filling materials can be chosen to increase the tooth's resistance to decay.
• In consultation with specialist doctors, the dentist may choose to anaesthetise the patient for dental procedures.
Carers need to be aware of the impact of poor dental health. If a person with HD can't manage or request dental care for themselves, it is the carer's responsibility to do so.
Even before symptoms appear, dentist visits in at-risk families should be frequent, and oral hygiene particularly thorough, so that if and when symptoms do develop, the teeth will be in the best condition.
- Sources: The importance of Dental Care in HD: Huntington's Western Australia (huntingtonswa.org.au); The Importance of Dental Care in HD: Huntington’s Disease Association factsheet, 2012 (hda.org.uk)
